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A survey by TalentSmart showed that 90 percent of top performers
know how to manage their emotions in times of stress so that they
remain cool, calm, and able to do what needs to be done.

That’s an important lesson in and of itself for all of us -
because all of us experience stress in our lives. Research has
shown that some stress is good for us: it helps us perform at
optimal levels. Too much stress, however, can have serious
psychological and physiological repercussions.

Since we can’t necessarily avoid most stress - especially in our
work environments - it’s to our benefit to learn how to deal with
it, and learn from the examples of those who are already
successful.

According to surveys and other research, successful people have
some strategies in common when it comes to managing stress.

It may sound a little Oprah to you, but developing a gratitude
practice is a psychologically proven way to reduce stress and
maintain a more positive outlook on life. When you have a more
positive outlook (and less of the stress hormone cortisol) you
are happier and more productive, too.

Easier said than done? Sometimes. But successful people tend to
be those who see opportunities for growth masquerading as
failure, and who look for the lessons learned when something goes
awry, instead of wallowing in what could’ve/should’ve been.
Maintaining a positive outlook. It’s a popular and proven stress management tool.
If affirmations aren’t exactly your thing, try reframing
negative thoughts. If you find yourself dwelling on something
negative, try adding, “But what I can learn from this is…”
Even just noticing that you’re stuck in a negative thought can
help you move away from it.

No one is perfect. Not even the most successful people on the
planet are perfect - and they would almost certainly tell you the
same. Richard Branson, for example, has had some well known
failures in his time, yet has always been blunt about his belief
that you fail quickly, fail big, learn from it, and move on. Many
of us worship the cult of perfection, but letting it go may
release us from a heavy burden of undue stress.

Successful people often have the presence of mind to realize that
they must care for their most important asset - themselves - in
order to continue to be successful. They prioritize healthy
habits like getting enough sleep, limiting caffeine and alcohol,
getting proper exercise, and switching off from technology
periodically. Being overly tired, hopped up on chemicals (like
caffeine and alcohol) and constantly monitoring our digital lives
puts our adrenal glands into overdrive, and our stress levels
through the roof. A truly successful person will strive to find
balance to help moderate his stress.

One major cause of stress is the number of decisions we have to
make in a day. Every decision from whether to have the sandwich
or the salad all the way up to hiring and firing decisions weighs
on us and causes us stress. Relying on simple routines like
having the same lunch every day, answering emails at the same
time, or even simplifying your wardrobe can help save your stress
and sanity for the bigger decisions that really matter. President
Obama (who undoubtedly knows a great deal about stress) mentioned
this in an interview with Vanity Fair:

"You need to remove from your life the day-to-day problems that
absorb most people for meaningful parts of their day… You’ll
see I wear only grey or blue suits. I’m trying to pare down
decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating
or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.
You need to focus your decision-making energy. You need to
routinize yourself. You can’t be going through the day
distracted by trivia."

Finally, successful people are able to keep the bigger picture in
view, rather than focusing on minutiae. This is about focusing
more on the “why” behind what you do than the “how.” For example,
you might feel yourself getting stressed out about the fact that
you have to work out every day for an hour (the how), but if you
focus on the reason you want to work out - to be healthy and live
longer - you may find the actual task less stressful.

I hope you find these strategies useful. As always, I am keen to
understand how do you manage stress in your life? I’d love to
learn your most successful stress-busters in the comments below.